Rockingham cuts 9 shots off Morehead’s lead

GREENSBORO – Kevin Isaacs fired a one-under-par 35 Thursday at Gillespie Park and Rock-ingham County clipped nine shots off Morehead’s lead in the Triad 3-A Conference golf race.
At the halfway mark of the eight-round season, Morehead now has 628 strokes and Rocking-ham 633. The two teams have distanced themselves from the remaining teams in the league as third-place Western Guilford is now 45 shots back of Rockingham.
“It’s going to be interesting,” RCHS coach Mike Williams said. “I don’t think it’s going to be over until the final week.”
Rounds five and six will be played at the home venues of the two leading teams next week: Rockingham will play host Monday at Plantation Golf Club and Morehead will entertain next Thursday at Meadow Greens Country Club.
The Cougars were down 14 shots after the third round but shot 149 Thursday at Gillespie Park thanks to the 35 by Issacs, 37s by Richard Crouse and Braden Cox and 40 by Randy Brill. The Cougars’ discards would have been welcomed by any other team in the field as Daniel Tatarski shot 41 and Dallas Page 42.
Morehead was led by senior Jerry Holland’s 37 while sophomores William Martin and Dylan Morgan had 38s and Anthony Gammon 45.
“I’m real proud of them,” Williams said. “They’ve been real focused and have been practicing hard. They hung tough. We’ve won it two years in a row and they want to make it three. But Morehead has got an outstanding team.”
Isaacs’ one-under total came despite a bogey on the final hole when a short birdie putt turned into a three-putt bogey. It was his first time ever playing the nine-hole Gillespie Park layout.
He began his round on the par-4 second hole and he sank a 5-footer for birdie after hitting a gap wedge. He followed with another birdie at the par-5 third, sinking a 7-footer. After a bogey at the fourth, he notched his third birdie of the day at the par-4 seventh. He got a fortuitous bounce off the cart path, then chipped to within three feet. He parred Nos. 8 and 9 before closing his round with the bogey.
Crouse had two birdies and three bogeys on his card. He narrowly missed an eagle putt on the par-5 third and settled for his first birdie of the day with a tap-in and then wedged to within two feet for a birdie at No. 7.
Cox started on No. 7, parred his first three holes and birdied No. 1. A four-putt double bogey at No. 2 was a temporary setback as he came back with a birdie at No. 5 when he chipped in after his approach spun back off the green.
Although individual standings are hard to figure because each player is allowed to drop one score, Morehead’s Holland holds the lead at 150, one better than teammate Morgan.
Counting the top-three scores, Holland still leads by one over Morgan and Martin and by three over Isaacs.